1928 Ford Model A Roadster

This Model A Roadster was recently the recipient of an extensive restoration. The exterior was completely redone as well as the interior. The engine is a stock cast-iron 4-cylinder engine, mated to a manual transmission. The restoration has touched almost every part of the car with period correctness being a top priority when rebuilding the vehicle.

The paint on this Model A is phenomenal. The car sports a two-tone blue on blue paintjob with gray pinstriping and it looks incredibly clean. Not surprising; however, because it turns out that the body was completely disassembled, reworked, and then painted to its current shade. The fenders and running boards were painted black and do a great job of sending the eye back to the main body. All chrome components have been replated except for the landau bars.

Similar to the outside, the inside of this Model A has been restored as well. The interior is a period accurate reproduction using mohair, although the material has a similar feel to corduroy. The single bench seat looks right at home in the cabin and shows no holes or tears. The steering wheel was refinished which explains its stellar condition. The shifter and pedals are in great condition, the gauges are clean and chrome that houses them is spotless. The rumble seat itself is clean just like the rest of the car, and the compartment opens and closes without any issues.

We are happy to report that the underside of this Model A roadster is clean. It appears that every component underneath the car was painted black, which only adds to the clean-cut look of the car’s inner workings. The suspension pieces are all correct and appear to have been restored, and the exhaust only shows minor discoloration at best.

This Model A has a bit of interesting history. Supposedly, this car was also meticulously restored by the President of Holly Farms Chicken. Restoration took place in North Wilkesboro, NC, where the moonshiners got their start, and this Holly Farms was an early sponsor in the Winston Cup Series, one of the first official NASCAR events. The seller’s father purchased this Model A in the early 1980’s. It sat for decades, but the seller has done the work to keep it in running condition. This car received a new battery, the fuel tank was removed, cleaned out, and reattached, fuel systems were purged, and the plugs were changed as well. The Model A now starts up immediately and delicately putters just as it did almost 100 years ago. The car also features classic “wolf whistles” that run off engine compression. The seller reports that the car runs just fine at 45mph, though he refuses to try going much faster.

This is one of the cleanest Model A’s we have had the privilege of working with. Everything on this car is delightful. The two-tone paintjob was not stock during its production, but it serves to brilliantly highlight the car’s unique shape and features. Furthermore, the restored interior is in great condition and sure to be an enjoyable place for the driver to pass the time puttering down whatever road he or she chooses. Simply put, this Model A is the product of a fantastic restoration effort, and anyone interested in early automobiles would be remiss to let this machine pass them by. Bravo.

The Market by Bonhams is thrilled to offer this Ford Model A sedan for online auction with no reserve, and an estimate between $14,000 and $18,000.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL BIDDERS:

All cars from the Southern Gem Collection must be paid in full within 48 hours and collected within two weeks of auction end. Collection must be done with a flatbed or trailer and is strictly by appointment only. In the event a car is not removed timely the owner reserves the right to remove the car to storage at the Buyer’s risk and expense, whereupon the Buyer shall become liable for uplift, removal, storage and handling charges.